Hello, today we will speak about relating between the weight loss and become intelligent.
Does weight loss also affect intelligence? Brazilian researchers have investigated this in a study of obese women. So far, it has been assumed that obesity has an effect on memory. For example, overweight women are thought to be 26% more likely to develop dementia, and obese women 64% more likely. But is the opposite also true? Does the memory performance increase when the weight falls again?
Initial situation before weight loss
17 women with a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 50 were examined. A BMI of 50 means a weight of approx. 130 kilograms with a height of 1.60 m. The 17 women belonged to a test group who wanted to undergo a stomach reduction. As a result of the stomach reduction, the number of calories consumed decreases and weight loss occurs.
Before the operation, the participants had to undergo an intelligence test and six other tests to check important brain functions (including the Stroop Color Test, the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, the Trail Making Test and the Rey Complex Figure Test). Six months after the operation, a new series of tests was carried out.
The control group consisted of 16 slim women of similar age and education. Their average Body Mass Index was 22.3.
Test results after weight loss
The cognitive tests showed no significant differences between obese and slim women. Only in the trail making test did the obese women show improvements six months after the test compared to before surgery. your confidence or about your mind
The trail making test has proven to be an indicator of performance deficits due to brain damage. It consists of two parts.
“In part A, the numbers from 1 to 25 scattered on a DIN A4 page must be connected with a pencil in the correct order as quickly as possible. In part B, the task is extended by a working memory component in that numbers and letters must be connected alternately in the natural order (from 1 to A, to 2, to B, etc. up to the number 13)” (source: “Trail Making Tests A and B”, unimuenchen.de).
The differences in the brain scans, however, were more pronounced. Before the weight loss the brains of the obese test group seemed to have to work “harder”. This was especially true for certain areas in the right hemisphere that are activated to compensate for memory loss.
In addition, the weight loss also reduced the blood level of certain proteins, which are held responsible for high inflammation values. In addition, a significant improvement in insulin sensitivity was observed. For the researchers at the University of Sao paolo , it was clear that obesity increases the risk of Alzheimer’s and similar diseases. The good news is that the process can be reversed.
Weight loss and memory performance, my conclusion:
From the point of view of a medical layman, I always meet such study results with restraint. Neither can the study structure and quality be properly assessed, nor do I know whether the interpretation of the results is always correct. Surely it must be questioned whether the conclusions have general validity or only represent an isolated truth. It is, however, exciting to follow the various scientific approaches with which the topic of nutrition is approached.
For me there is no question that a healthy diet in combination with exercise and a sustainable lifestyle is trend-setting. It is certainly not a question of one or two kilograms overweight.
- Not technically, although as others have said, if being overweight is causing you fatigue (by hurting your ability to sleep, keeping you from exercising, or just weighing you down) then you might be better rested and therefore think faster on your feet.
- Many studies have shown bias against people who are over weight; people who are thin, or relatively thin, tend to get hired more easily, get higher pay, and be regarded as more intelligent and “put together.” People who are overweight are regarded as sloppy and careless, even when they definitely are not those things. So you will likely be REGARDED as smarter.
- I don’t agree with people who say “it can’t hurt.” The techniques you use for weight loss can absolutely harm your intelligence—your brain needs a steady supply of blood glucose to work properly, and fat to manufacture hormones, and protein for healthy organs (including endocrine organs), all of which will have a direct impact on your ability to think. Crash diets can definitely impact your intelligence in the short term, and extreme diets do run the risk of permanent cognitive impairment. So be smart about the way you lose weight if you hope to stay smart after you lose it.
